Soren's Petite Dilemma
by ShadowSight101
Summary: Soren has been having problems with someone...And it's all because of that...stupid...heron...
1. Chapter 1

Eek! Soren is totally awesome! And so is his…ahem…petite dilemma. (Personally, I like Path of Radiance better than Fire Emblem 7.)

:--:

Soren's Petite Dilemma

_Scritch scratch scritch_. The sound of pen on paper filled the near empty tent. Sighing, the adolescent rechecked his work. He set aside his pen and let the sounds of night envelop him. Soon, he was asleep.

:--:--:--:--:--:

"Soren. So-o-o-o-ren! Wake _up_ already!" Soren slowly lifted his head, blinking away the sleep in his eyes.

"Huh…? Rolf! What do you think you are doing in here?" The small green-haired boy shuffled his feet awkwardly.

"Commander Ike told me to wake you up. So wake up!"

"…" His fuchsia eyes bore into Rolf's blue ones.

"W-well…ah…Mist dared me to." Soren shook his head.

"You'll do anything for that girl just to show you aren't scared. Hurry up and get out. I need to talk to—"

"Please, Soren! Don't tell Oscar or Boyd that…that I did that! I promise I won't do that again. Please, Soren…"

"Out." He pointed a long finger towards the entrance. Rolf obliged.

:--:--:--:--:--:

Soren walked towards the commander's tent. Mia reported she saw the Duke's troops coming their way. How they tracked their way to them was anyone's guess. A spy, perhaps?

"Ike! I need to speak with you." He called from outside of the tent.

"Then get in here." Soren entered and noticed that Princess Elincia of Crimera was present. He bowed stiffly.

"Ike, the fat man's troops has tracked us down. At least, according to Mia." Soren said, in his straight forward way.

"Hm…So…they haven't actually surrounded us, right?"

"Correct."

"Order everyone to take up defensive positions. And…make sure the long-range people stay well concealed in the trees." Soren inclined his head slightly and strode out of the tent. Immediately, he started to issue orders to everyone.

"Zihark, over there. Cut down anyone—what? Oh all right, fine! You, there! Don't hiss at me! You're with Zihark. What do you mean—…look. You have to. I know he's a beorc. I'm not stupid, like you. Oh, yeah. Astrid. Over there, where the trees are pretty thick. Yeah, there. What? No, no! Tormond, _out_. You won't be any help now. …Stop giving me that look." And so it went, until he found Ilyana. As usual, she was looking quite faint, her face a shade paler than normal. She looked at him, expecting an order from him. He sighed. "Here. I won't be needing this, anyway." He produced a slice of beef jerky and handed it to her. She squeaked.

"O-oh! Thank you…thank you so much…"Quickly, she wolfed it down, licking her lips. Soren shook his head.

"Go. Now."  
"A-alright…Thank you…"

Soren watched Ilyana scamper off. She, too, was a sage. But Soren still outranked her. He was kind of glad that Ike had 'rescued' her. Tormod was, well, weak in this stage. He had great potential in magic, but he just didn't listen to Soren. And that was weird. _Everyone_ listened to him. Well, that fat Duke Tanas is waiting, Soren thought. Better move along.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Soren cast another Wind spell and snorted in disgust. "Are these peasants or something?" Brushing off another soldier, he walked towards Ike. "Ike."

"Hm?" Ike turned to Soren.

"Well, look. It's been some time now. They're retreating."

"So I noticed. I bet to regroup." Ike guessed.

"Very observant, Ike."

"I can't ever tell if you're being sarcastic or serious. What do you suggest we do, then?"

"Split up. We need to search the surrounding area. The heron must be here. The apostle can't be kept waiting."

"You actually care if the apostle—"

"I really don't care about the apostle. We are mercenaries who were given a mission. We are to complete it."

"…"

:--:--:--:--:--:

"Nasir…Look. This grass…" Ike led the laguz to what he was looking at.

"Hm…The only place here with plants like this…" Nasir stroked his wavy blue hair thoughtfully. "That is…all you found?"

"No. In fact, I found this laying around." Ike held up a delicate white feather in his fingers and twirled it expertly. Nasir's eyebrows went up. His eyes were looking past the feather.

"Ike. Over there, in the clearing…"

"I…is that a heron? But that's a girl! You told me there was only one in existence."

"I believed it to be true…To find another one…it's a miracle."

"Hey, wait, please? I must speak with…" The fragile bird turned and looked at him with big golden eyes. She spoke to them in her own language and they couldn't understand her. "Excuse me—" But then, she collapsed onto the ground. "Wake up!"

"She's lost consciousness. I think you scared her…"

"I didn't mean to!" Suddenly, from the corner of their eye, they saw a large…something running towards them. A _really_ large something.

"My bird! My beautiful, beautiful bird! Wait a minute…" Duke Tanas inspected the unconscious heron. "That…! It cannot be! Oh ho ho! It is a girl!" But then he noticed Ike and Nasir. "You!" He jabbed a chubby finger at them. "It's _you_! Oh no no no! This is my bird! My beautiful bird! Mine! Men! After these greedy monsters! Oh black hearted fiends! Taking _my_ beautiful bird!"

:--:--:--:--:--:

Ilyana moaned and held her stomach. How long had it been since she had eaten _anything_? Hm…Maybe about thirty minutes. Oh, goddess! Thirty minutes?

"I'll pass out…if I don't find something to eat…" She heard a rustle from behind her. Quickly she turned and cast a Thunder spell. The man groaned in defeat and fell on the ground. She kept on walking. Maybe Soren had a tidbit. Or two. Ugh…That spell had taken a lot out of her…

"Ilyana." She jumped sky high. Turning, she saw Soren glaring at her through narrowed eyes. "What are you doing, wandering around here?"

"Wha…what? Ike…Commander, I mean…he said…he said…" The world spun once around her, and her feet slipped on air. Ilyana sat down, embarrassed. "Ooh…I'm so hungry…" Soren tried to hide an amused look.

"He's hungry?" he smirked.

"Ah! Uh…no…"

"Here. These berries are relatively fresh." Ilyana didn't care what he meant by 'relatively' fresh. She quickly accepted them and stuffed them in her mouth.

"Oh…wow. This is…really good…Thank you." Soren sighed and shook his head.

"Come on. They need your magic." She nodded and slowly stood up and followed him. They walked to the battlefield wordlessly, and Ilyana glanced around worridly.

"S…Sam? Er…So…Sothe…"

"Soren."

"I…I heard something…" She glanced over her shoulder and got Thunder ready. Soren reached into his robes and pulled out his newly forged _Hurricane_.

"Come on. It's nothing to worry about."

"No…Soren…It…well…sounded like a high-pitched note. Like a…a…bell." Soren started.

"A bell, you said? Ah…Come on. Really." Ilyana followed unwillingly, but kept on sending looks behind her. Then she pulled her thin wrap around her and shivered. That bell was more like…a death note. _Nah…I'm just being…paranoid…_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three…

"Arrrrg! What vexatious wretches! I am overmatched! I can't believe I'm saying this, but...there's another white heron! (To be sure…_my _heron…!)Re-retreat! Leave them their prize!" Duke Tanas roared. Before long, the clearing was empty. But not before Boyd flicked his wrist and decapitated a few with his hand axe. Titania glared at him.

"We don't need any unnecessary killing around here!"

"Yes, mother…" She rolled her eyes, twisting a strand of fiery red hair around her finger. A childish habit, but she didn't care. Ike had laid down the heron, checking her vital signs.

"She seems to be fine…" Suddenly they heard a flapping of wings above them. The heron had woken up. Slowly she sat up, reaching her hand out to one of the birds. Immediately, a white heron banked sharply, transforming back into beorc form. His pale face was framed with disbelief.

"…Leanne?" Leanne spoke quietly in her heron language, she, too, looking a little dazed. A large hawk glided down, transforming into a large muscular man, towering over everyone. This was the hawk king, Tibarn. Everyone swallowed nervously. Completely ignoring the beorc, he slowly extended a hand towards Leanne and asked,

"Do you remember me?" She answered in heron, looking at him in wonder. "Yeah, you do." He turned to Ike. "What do you think you are doing, human, with her? This forest has nothing more to give!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Ike held up his hands and bit his lip. "I don't intend to hurt anyone…We just found her, so—" He stopped, seeing Tibarn's angry glare. He could start fires with those eyes…literally…

"Get out of this forest. Or I'll peck your eyes out, one by one." Leanne looked horrified and grabbed Tibarn's arm. She spoke rapidly and she kept glancing from Tibarn to Ike. Tibarn stayed silent after her outburst. Her brother, however, looked upset. He was about to rebuke her when Tibarn shook his head. "Reyson. Listen to her." Reyson looked at Leanne. She repeated her speech, and looked at him imploringly.

"Accursed humans! You want me to forgive them? But you do not know what happened…" She answered soothingly. "You do know? So the forest has kept you asleep? Thank you…" He murmured. "But to forgive…" Ike cleared his throat.

"We would all understand if you chose not to forgive us, but we know that the herons did nothing. You were falsely accused…" Soren approached, his eyes closed in thought.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this," Though he really didn't look the part, "the apostle insists on speaking to you. So if you would…"Reyson turned on him, his eyes flashing.

"Shut up, half-breed! I won't speak to an ignorant human, much less the 'apostle'!" Leanne closed her eyes and opened them, with a look to Reyson that clearly said, 'Shut up right now or else.' Soren took an instinctive step backward. Abruptly, he turned on his heel and walked away, trying to keep one, just one little scrap of dignity he had left. Tibarn sighed. Reyson's temper had gotten the better of him a few times, but this…

:--:--:--:--:--:

Soren walked through the forest, sloshing through muck and rotting wood. He felt so very angry…Anyway, what would a bird know about him? With barely a glance, the heron had labeled him 'half-breed'. That. Really. Hurt.

Someone was coming from behind him…how he knew that was a mystery even to him.

"Go away," he grumbled. "I don't want to speak to anyone right now." _Especially that bird-brain…_

"Um…Soren…" He recognized that voice…Ilyana?

"What are you doing here?" he turned around so quick, that he nearly collided with the other sage. "It's not safe out here, you know." She quirked an eyebrow.

"Then…what are _you_ doing out here?"

"…None of your business." They kept on walking for a while in silence. Then Soren turned his head and saw that Ilyana was still there. "Are you stalking me or something?" She shook her head slowly.

"I'm…worried…" Soren gave her a weird look. "I-I mean…Since you are the strategist and all…I didn't mean anything by that…really!" Soren looked at his feet. No one in the camp had really cared if he had been hurt or anything. Just give him an elixir! He'll be fine. No one had really cared about his feelings. _Especially_ his feelings. They thought he was just a cold-blooded person, that's all. Except Ike, really. Some people in camp probably would say "Good riddance!" If he had been killed. Titania could take over for him. Ilyana seemed to know what was going on in his mind. She turned on him.

"And don't say that no one cares…everyone does! Remember that one time when Dakova nearly took your arm off? You were in critical condition, and _everyone_ was worried sick.

"What that heron said was wrong. I don't care what you are, who you are. You're part of our family now. You can't do anything about it." Ilyana said and ran ahead to camp.


	4. Chapter 4

Okay! No more Miss Nice Authoress! I'm not gonna make my announcements anymore—

I'm too lazy. So…-closes eyes, spins around and stops- SOREN!

Soren: What?

You're my…muse.

Soren: Why me?

Fine. Ilyana, you help him.

Ilyana: what?

Go ahead, he won't bite.

Soren: -growls and bares teeth-

OO'

:--:

Chapter Four…

The camp was totally quiet. Ilyana walked to her tent, massaging her temples. Outbursts weren't her thing, frankly. Now she was absolutely starving. She casually sauntered over to Zihark, fluttering her eyelashes as if she were about to faint. He glanced at her briefly, but turned back to what he was doing…staring at Lethe.

Ilyana bit back a sigh and walked away, to try her luck elsewhere.

:--:--:--:--:--:

After an hour, Soren decided to find his way back to camp. Somehow.

As he strolled through the forest, he noticed something different. The scent of flowers had assaulted his senses, the muck dissolved into fresh, green grass. The thick fog evaporated and patches of sunlight shone through the trees. He heard two voices intertwined, a bass and a soprano, rising up into the air. It didn't sound like the death toll he had heard before. It sounded like a life-giving song.

_It must be those herons. Ike can't sing for his life. Mist can't hold a note. Titania…goddess, don't think about it_! Soren thought with a shudder. He saw fluttering flags in the distance. He had told Ike that they attract too much attention in the dead forest, but now they blended in well. Suddenly a flash of orange impaired his vision and he stumbled backwards.

"Ha! Stupid…_beorc_ cannot keep his balance?"

"…Shut up…"

"And you wear skirts!"

"I said to shut up."

"More like dresses."

"Are you dumb! Silence!" Lethe hissed, and backed into the trees, seeming to disappear. Soren sighed and straightened his shoulders, trying to appear calm. But as soon as he entered camp, the buzz of activity stopped. It was as if someone had pressed the mute button. Slowly, he walked towards Ike's tent. Then Lethe jumped in front of him, in laguz form.

"Visitors aren't allowed right now." She hissed, her haunches rising.

"I go where I want to, laguz." He retorted.

"I mean it. He wants to be alone." She grumbled. "I'm telling the truth."

"…Would you send for me, then, when he has recovered?" Lethe hissed again.

"Thy will be done." She smirked, transforming back to beorc form. Then she walked off to find Ranulf. Soren already had a headache. Dinner was almost ready, though, and a commander, even a tactician, needed to be present at everything.

:--:--:--:--:--:

Ilyana checked the sky. The sun was almost down. Dinner was _almost_ ready! Almost! And she needed some food right now, or else…

_That_ would happen again. Not that she thought that feet were particularly delicious, but Mia's boots had a food stain on it. It was staring right up at her, just begging her to eat it! What could she do?

Arriving at the dinner area, Tormod was blowing campfires into life. He waved to Ilyana cheerily and moved to the next fire. Lucia was cooking up something that smelled delicious. She probably would've swallowed the whole pot on the spot. Then she saw a shadow standing near the tree line. Probably Soren. What was he doing up? He looked tired when she talked to him. He should've slept. _There will be a hostile air as soon as he enters the meal grounds._ Ilyana predicted. _Maybe I should go talk to him…_ But as soon as she thought that, her belly growled in protest. Food. Then Soren.

:--:

Well, Soren? Your cue. –Poke-

Soren: -swipes at imaginary contaminated spot-…I don't 'stroll'.

Ilyana: Well, then, what _do_ you do?

Soren: Walk leisurely.

-Rolls eyes-

Ilyana: Reviews are welcome! (As are cookies!)


	5. Chapter 5

Soren: …Ah…

Ilyana: He forgot his lines. Again.

Soren: Don't blame me! Here I am, trying to keep you guys alive _and_ having to be the muse for _all_ of Shadow's stories!

Ilyana: -sticks out tongue-

-Sigh- Those two…

:--:

Chapter Five…

Ilyana sighed. Only three helpings that day. Maybe the others had some extra rations on them. Wait! What about Soren? Ilyana sighted him at the end of camp. He looked even lonelier than before.

On other days, he seemed lonely. Today, discarded.

Carefully, she swiped one last bowl of stew and trotted over to his side. When he saw her, he seemed taken aback. Why would she come to him, to sit with him while everyone else is evidently avoiding him.

They used to dislike him. Today, hate.

Foolish people. And he is the one who is careful about his tactics, the one who keeps them from death. But he couldn't hold resentment, oh no, because that would mean he has no control over himself, that he is not worthy of this rank.

"Soren?" He couldn't help but cringe—she was innocent, and well-meaning, but she didn't have to fuss over him like he was a child.

"I'm fine, Ilyana. Go away." She sat down anyway, despite his dismissing wave.

"No…You're not. And not everyone hates you, you know. They're just confused." Soren smirked.

"About what? That they don't know what a…" he stopped. "…What a...a half-breed is?" He laughed bitterly. "Yeah. Right." He stopped laughing and closed his eyes. He was obviously tired. Ilyana set her bowl down.

"Maybe you should talk to some of them."

"…" She ignored his lack of response.

"Maybe you should talk to Ike, Soren. He would understand, of all people."

"…"

"Perhaps you could…" Soren turned on her.

"Stop with the 'maybes'! Stop with the 'perhaps'! I wish at least _one thing_ was _definite_ in my life!" Ilyana nodded understandingly.

"You should get to bed, Soren. You look like you're going to fall asleep any minute, now." Ilyana stood up and pulled Soren to his feet. He didn't protest. She gently led him to his tent and opened the flap for him. He stepped in. As the flap fluttered shut behind him, he stopped.

Yesterday, the leader. Today…the follower.

So many more comparisons.

Shepherd to sheep.

Confident to meek.

Adult to child.

He lay down on his cot, the words swirling in his head. What he had been…what he was now.

Respected to scorned.

Trusted to deceitful.

The one that rung most dominant in his mind.

Human to…nothing.

:--:--:--:--:--:

_He was in a room. It seemed to be a very big room, though. He couldn't see the walls. "Soren?" A musical voice called to him. He turned, but he couldn't see three feet in front of him. "Soren?" The voice became louder. He looked around frantically._

_"I'm here! I'm here!" he called._

_"Soren?" The ghost became frantic. "Soren! Soren! Speak to me!"_

_"I'm here! I'm here…" But the wandering soul did not hear him._

_"Soren? Soren? Answer me!" The room started to fill with black, murky liquid. "Answer me, Soren. Answer me."_

_"I'm in here! In here! Help me, please!"_

_"Soren…?" The liquid was waist high._

_"Here! I'm here!"_

_"Soren…" The fluid gave out a rotten smell._

_"No! No!" The voice…it was fading… "Please! Anyone!" No…no…neck high…breathe…breathe…!_

_"Soren…" Fainter and fainter._

_"No! No! Here!" He sputtered and gasped. The fluid was turning crimson …crimson…like his eyes… "I'm here!"_

_"Soren…"_

_"No!"_

_"Soren…I knew it... you're dead…" the ghost stopped speaking. The phantom sobbed. "Soren! Soren!"  
_

_"No…" _That voice! I know it!

_But the liquid choked him. It suffocated him. _Let me speak!

Let me speak!

:--:

Soren: Um…why did the chicken cross the road?

Ilyana: Quiet!

-pant pant- Wowza. What happens when you get stressed and put it in your writing.

Soren & Ilyana: Reviews are welcome!


	6. Chapter 6

Apologies to everyone! I'm sorry if Soren…and Ilyana…are OOC. But I think this chapter needs it.

Soren: What? So she's going to make me cry!

Ilyana: She never said that.

Soren: …-poke poke-

Oh, yeah! Right! Heh…sorry about not updating! Homework, a dog, piano, violin, dance—

Soren: Shut up, will ya? Sorry for the inconvenience. There. I said it!

Onward!

:--:

Chapter Six…

A frantic yell split the serene night. Ilyana, being the light sleeper she was, jolted to attention. It was coming from the direction of Soren's tent. Cautiously, she nudged her covers off and slipped through the tent flap.

"Soren? Soren! …" She ignored a quite familiar hunger pang. "I'm coming in, now." What she found completely confused her. The covers on his cot were tossed onto the ground. And Soren was clutching his head, his knees drawn up to his chest. She heard a small moan come from his shaking form. What had happened here?

"Soren? What…what happened?" He didn't seem to notice she was in there. Slowly she walked over to his side. Hesitantly, she put her hand out and brushed his arm lightly, as if her fingers were little nervous sparrows. His next action surprised her even more. He drew away from her touch and looked at her with fear and confusion. _Fear_ and _confusion_. Surely this is not the Soren she knew! Slowly he blinked, his scarlet eyes restoring their usual stoic gaze. Then he noticed Ilyana.

"…What are you doing in here?" He growled. She took an instinctive step back.

"I…I…"

"…I don't have all the time in the world."

"I heard a yell…It…it came from this direction…" he stiffened.

"You heard wrong."

"No…I'm sure I heard something like that."

"You _are_ mistaken."

"No, I'm not… did you have a nightmare?" He bristled.

"_I_ am undaunted by nightmares. I don't even dream!" he snapped.

"…Just…Um…" She looked at him nervously. "I…I'll go now…" She said quietly. Just as she was about to leave, though, Soren had gotten up and grabbed her arm.

"Wait…I…er…I need to tell you something…" Ilyana stopped and sat on his cot. He, too, sat down next to her. "I…yeah. I did have a really weird dream…" He told her about the dream, about the ghost, about the water. She listened, not asking questions until the end.

"Who was the ghost, then?" she asked.

"I…I think it was my…birth mother…"

"How…how were you separated from her?" Soren smiled bitterly.

"Yeah. That. I remember, though I was only about two years old."

"Really? I thought you told Ike you didn't remember anything before that—"

"Do you seriously think I would tell him straight off like that?" He sneered

"Well…"

"Exactly. I'm the cautious kind of…person."

"I see." Though she really didn't see a connection.

"I was pretty much kicked out of my home." Ilyana gaped at him.

"What?"

"Yeah. See, my father was a dragon. So see…"

"You. Have. Dragon. Blood. In. _You_."

"Yes…what's so strange about that? Anyway, he was part of the Goldoan Law Enforcement. So…of course, I think you can figure out the rest. He met my mother, and he left her for about three years. Then she had me. He came back about two years after I was born. When he saw me, he flew into a rage…" He shivered, remembering.

"Soren…" She was about to stop him, stop this flood of memories. He held up a hand, silencing her.

"He banished my mother from his sight, and threw me outdoors. Obviously, he expected me to die out there." He retold this without emotion, unfeelingly.

"But…you're here."

"Of course I am! Though I knew very little about it, I lived on the woods, until I had wandered my way to Gallia. This mad woman found me and took me in…I suppose I am grateful, for I had eaten nightshade berries the other night. I was deathly sick, and I could hardly stand."

"Soren! You ate _nightshade_ berries and you're still standing!"

"Yes. But that woman who saved me worked me very hard the day I showed signs of improvement. She said I should be grateful. She saved my life. Every night, though, I dropped down on the bed shed set for me. Then she would kick me awake before the sun was up; one time I could still see stars…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"No…I'm alright. In fact, I feel a little better. Like…someone ripped off a chunk of the boulder I'm trying to balance."

"I know…" She collected her thoughts. "So…do you think your mother is still alive?"

"I'm sure of it."

"Call out to her, tomorrow night."

"I tried!"

"You told me you called too late." She hesitated. Not many people liked to answer this next question. "Was…is…she a seer?" Soren appeared to be undisturbed by this question, as if expecting it this whole time.

"Yes. Yes, she is."

"Then…it would make sense if you inherited at least a little bit of this power."

"I don't think so."

"Try."

"I can't."

"Trying never hurts."

"Yes it does. And no, I can't."

"You're not right about everything!" Ilyana snapped.

"I know I'm not," Soren said quietly. "but…I have to at least act like I know what I'm doing."

"_Act?_ _ACT?_ This whole time you've been putting our life on the line, without knowing what would happen!"

"I _don't_ know everything, Ilyana! War is never sure!" Ilyana sighed.

"You're right…as always…I'm just kind of upset about…the war and all this fighting…"

"I know. I am, too." There was an uncomfortable silence between them—they had agreed on something.

"…Just try." He opened his mouth to protest. "For me, then?" The she slipped out of the tent, all the while clutching a piece of beef jerky in her hand.

:--:

Soren: Oh. You didn't make me cry. Whoohoo…

Ilyana: yeah, you should be grateful!

Soren: shut up…Oh yeah! That's right!

Soren and Ilyana: Reviews are welcome, constructive criticism is required while flames, –in the background, an inferno appears out of thin air- are taken care of. –the inferno disappears-

Erm…to put it simply…

Soren: You don't need to put it simply! We do it well enough! D


	7. Chapter 7

I don't think this duo has any announcements to make—

Ilyana: I LIKE FOOD!

Soren: What's new?

:--:

Chapter Seven…

_Hands with long, sharp claws reached out towards him. They had one purpose—tear him to shreds._

_He ran and ran, unhindered. Never before had he run so fast. He felt as if he was flying—as it happened, he was. _

_Great, sleek wings pumped the air, black as night with intricate golden designs imprinted on them. They sprouted from a smooth black body, and one kick from the legs could smash your body. Diamond hard claws gleamed from the feet. The head was thin and sharp. It had a somber look about it. The eyes were beautiful…blood-red ruby. _

_Never had he felt so powerful, so energized. He felt as if he could fly and fly till eternity. He turned and watched the spirits chase after him from afar. _

_Away from the reaching souls, away, away. He flew and flew._

_Never, had he felt so happy. _

:--:--:--:--:--:

Soren woke up slowly, his head groggy. Usually that never happened. Once he was up, he was up. He stretched and yawned. Huh, that was strange. When had his tent shrunk? Well, he needed food. _Clunk!_ His head hit the poles.

"…That didn't hurt…" He reached up to feel his head. Until a black, scaly foot flashed in front of his eyes. He put down his hand slowly. The leg followed suit. "What the…" Then he heard a very familiar voice at the entrance of his tent.

"Soren? Um…May I…may I come in?" What was Ilyana doing up so early?

"Uh…not yet! Not yet!" Instead a low hiss erupted from his mouth. There was a panicky pause.

"Soren! I'm coming inside!" The tent flap opened. Something clicked in Soren's mind. _Huh…A dragon, aren't I? I can't do anything against Ilyana—she'll fry me! But how will I communicate I'm _me Ilyana was standing in the doorway, gaping at the creature in front of her. _Shoot…_ Soren thought.

"Soren? Ha…ha…" She laughed faintly. "Stop…stop messing with me…" If he put up his hand…no…leg, he would tear the tent in two and freak her out. If he tried to speak, hisses and growls would spew from his muzzle. He couldn't move, he couldn't talk…what could he do? He stared at her helplessly. Slowly she reached out towards him.

"Wha…what happened? Who did this?" She put a small hand on his front leg. He shivered. "How do I get you back to normal…?" She accepted him as Soren! As himself! His body was cramping up now. Ugh. He had been still for too long.

"Let me go out." It came out as a whine but she seemed to understand. He wriggled out of the tent and bounded away. Ilyana followed the best she could. Soren stopped suddenly. Technically, he now was a laguz. Pah. Though the thought was eerie, he knew that it was true.

How did they change back into beorc form? He snapped his fingers to the best of his ability (it turned out like a painful crack)—He had read about something like this. It was a fairytale book but the librarian had handed it to him. Apparently he looked like a child. He had read it anyway. Sometimes fairy tales have some good stuff hiding in there.

What was it? The story of the little girl…she too was a Branded. And she, too, had woken up in this strange state. Her name…Sheila. That's right. She had woken up as a blue dragon. She had escaped from the city in early in the morning. She had flown to a mountain. Concentrating with all her might, she focused on her own physical attributes. Her wings had shrunk, her limbs restored, her face normal. Sheila collapsed out of fatigue.

Soren thought harder. What made her so fatigued?

Ah. That's right.

Her mental energy, as well as her magical power had been sapped by the transformation. She wasn't a mage, however… He concentrated.

His wings—they were quite eye-catching. And he didn't want that. He saw his cape in his mind's eye. Slowly, he felt his wings shrinking, little _pops_ of energy and stress paining him. He gasped.

Concentrate!

His torso—he was huge. His tunic with the golden designs appeared in his mind. He groaned. Slowly, he felt himself changing and shrinking. Louder _pops_ reverberated in his mind. His muscles were strained and sore. All he had was his limbs.

Concentrate…

After what seemed like forever, he had altered back into his beorc form. Now he could understand Sheila's pain. His brain felt squeezed and stretched at the same time. His legs were pudding and wouldn't respond. Faintly, Soren heard someone call his name.

Heh. If anyone saw that, they'd freak out…hate me forever…He thought. Lights out.

:--:

Soren: You made me a dragon? Cool.

Ilyana: -Pouts- that's not really fair. Now he knows how to transform.

Soren: hmm…

Ilyana: And this was a short chapter!

Quiet down, you two. Yeah, sorry for the chapter. Reviews are, again, welcome! Constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms!


	8. Chapter 8

AGH! DON'T KILL ME!

Soren: You've been gone for quite a while now.

I was on break.

Ilyana: -poke- break?

Vacation. Happy? Here's the chapter.

Ilyana: -puppy eyes- Are you mad at us?

Uh…no…

:--:

Chapter Eight…

Ilyana rolled the meat around in her mouth and sucked the juices from it. This was her third bowl and still she was hungry. No, she was starving. Mordecai, being the hulk he was was sitting on the ground so as not to crack the usual logs the band sat on. She strode over to him. After all, he did give her all of that money for stew. And that stew was so yummy!

"Hello, my little beorc friend. Hm…still as skinny as paper."

"Hey, Mordecai. I'm fine either way. I'm gonna get some more food right now."

"…Isn't this your fourth bowl?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes…" She shrugged. _Only_ her fourth bowl. She clutched her spoon and turned to go.

"How you can eat so much is still a mystery. How's your dark beorc friend doing?" But Ilyana had already left. He shook his head. "Ah…food over friends? I suppose I have much to learn about the beorc way of life."

:--:--:--:--:--:

Ilyana scooped up more of the meaty soup and poured it into her wooden bowl. Hurriedly, she scurried over to the 'sick bay' (it was really just a tent) and entered. Soren was sitting up in a bed looking extremely pained. She walked to his side and took her spoon and dipped it in the brew.

"I don't need that, Ilyana." Soren snapped. "I can do this myself." Ilyana grinned.

"Say 'ahh'!" Stubbornly, he clasped his mouth shut and closed his eyes. Ilyana inwardly laughed. Being the boss of _her_ boss was pretty entertaining. She placed her hand on his chin and wrestled the spoon into his mouth.

"H-hey! Wha…what was that for?" He sputtered.

"So that you can regain your strength quicker." She replied simply.

"You almost choked me!"

"Say 'ahh'!" And so it went until the bowl was empty.

:--:--:--:--:--:

Ike groaned and stretched. He had to find Titania. Soren was expected to be out for a while, so Titania took over as tactician. He still wondered, however, how Soren got beat up so badly. Ilyana denied knowing anything about what happened. But that wasn't logical, since she demanded special care for him.

_It was just a few cuts and scrapes. He's gotten worse before. What happened?_ But Soren stayed silent and Ilyana wordless. So he had finally given up trying to get anything from them but continued to wonder. He arrived at Titania's tent and called,

"Hey, Titania! Can I come in?" There was a short scuffling noise and finally,

"Sure." He strode in and glanced at Titania. She wasn't looking at him.

"Titania? Is everything okay?" She swiped her nose and turned towards him.

"Yeah. Of course. Now…here is what I came up with…"

:--:--:--:--:--:

Drip…drip_…Ugh…this rain is going to drive me insane. _The water droplets ran down the side of the tent, the leaky parts making the ground muddy. _Forty-seven…my goddess, I really am going insane. _He heard footsteps outside of the tent. _I hate being cooped up here…_

"I can get you out."

"What?" _Who got in here?_

"I said, 'I can get you out'. You just have to…"

"To…?" A match was struck and Ilyana was illuminated holding a steaming bowl of stew. Soren groaned.

"Eat this entire bowl without a fuss!" She smiled and laughed softly. "Okay?"

"…fine…" _What a dirty trick!_

:--:

Soren: You gotta hate girls like you.

Ilyana: Shut up.

Soren: Why should I? You're always trying to choke me with that stew!

Quiet, you two.

Ilyana: Ignore the loud idiot in the corner. Reviews are welcome (You know…Constructive Critisism?)!


	9. Chapter 9

Soren: I can't believe this.

Ilyana: -vein popping out on the side of her head- grr…I can't believe this…

-shrug- It was gonna happen one day.

Ilyana: I can't believe this!

:--:

Chapter Nine…

Gatrie walked through the camp thoroughly bored. Where were the girls? Hmm…A sudden flash of lavender hair caught his attention.

"Huh? What's Ilyana up to, I wonder?" He decided to follow her. Though it was hard work walking quiet in his armor, he kept up with Ilyana fairly well. She was carrying a steaming bowl of soup. Meat had run low that day so a few swordsmen and archers were sent out to hunt that day.

Gatrie watched intently. Usually Ilyana would scarf _anything_ down in five seconds, if you gave her the time. So what…_or who_…Gatrie thought, was she saving it for? As she entered the sick bay, Gatrie just remembered a very important detail. She was the one that was taking care of Soren.

Eww. Soren. The creepy little boy. How he got injured was still a mystery to everyone in the camp. Those two refused to tell anyone what happened. Gatrie rubbed his chin in thought. Something _traumatic_ happened. Did that mean anything? Hmm…

"Gatrie? What are you doing here in the bush like that?" He jumped. When did Ilyana get out?

"Training, of course!" Ilyana noted his lack of weapons.

"…Without your lances?"

"Uhh…Er…I'm practicing close combat! What if my spear breaks and I am left with no weapon? So I have to train in case it happens!"

"…Couldn't you just crush them with your sheer weight?" She asked innocently.

"Huh…Maybe I could! Yeah!" He threw back his head and laughed, trying to look casual. When he looked again, Ilyana was gone. Ohh _darn it_! She didn't even want to ask if she could see a few of his cool moves!

He tried to do a jumping kick, like he had seen Zihark do.

Oomph.

Dirt really didn't taste that good.

:--:--:--:--:--:

Ugh. What kind of spell was this? She looked through the tome frantically. Gibberish. That's all it was.

**"Ilyana…You're great at those simpler spells. The ones where you could attack a person fifty feet from you. But you seem to not be able to manage spells that attack people more that one hundred fifty feet away from your location." Her teacher bent down to her level and wagged his finger in Ilyana's face. "You know, if you practiced really hard, it still wouldn't help." Ilyana jerked her head up. "You're just too dense."**

_You're just too dense…just too dense…too dense…_She hated that teacher! He was always scolding her and insulting her in very subtle ways. Maybe it was because she was from a poor family. That day she had tried to decipher the mess. She had worked day and night. However, her father was upset at how much time she was putting into such a "useless" task. He had taken the Bolting tome and burned it. He _burned _it.

Now she had a new Bolting tome, which was making no sense at all. Still. Even after two years of working hard. She groaned in annoyance. Calill (Ehh…I forgot when she joined the merry little band) was better suited for long-range attacks. But what if she got hurt? Then who would take over as the "artillery"? Soren couldn't. He had his hands full as a tactician and a healer. Tormod…ooh…he couldn't. Not at his current level. Mist couldn't use high level magic. Rhys hadn't been blessed a bishop by the gods. So…Ilyana was the only one left. Why was everything left to her?

At least…that's what it _felt_ like. Take care of the least wanted guy in camp, figure out an impossible code for the good of the camp, don't eat so much…for the good of the camp…so on, so on. Meh. Everyone lectured anyone who was lower than them.

…

_That doesn't make me the lowest!_ She grumbled to herself.

Back to reading this gibberish.

Θεά της βροντής, Talyn, θεά της ζωής, Ashera...

Μου χορηγήστε το μάτι ενός αετού.

Μου χορηγήστε τη δύναμη ενός λύκου.

Μου χορηγήστε την ταχύτητα ενός πάνθηρα.

Μου χορηγήστε τη φρόνηση ενός φιδιού.

Αμπάρωμα! (1)

"Arg! I don't get this _at all!_ Nn…I know this word," she pointed to 'Θεά', "it means 'goddess'. Talyn is the goddess of thunder, Ashera…" she smirked. "Whoever doesn't know who Ashera is, the life giving goddess, is utterly stupid.

"Heh…Give me that…" a pale hand reached out for the tome. Ilyana jumped and spun around.

"What are you doing up?" She hollered. "You'll end up hurting yourself like this!" Soren shrugged.

"I'm still a tactician. If one of my soldiers is having trouble, I need to help." Ilyana couldn't help but bristle. Not at the "help" part (implying that she was weak) but the part where she was _one_ of_ his_ soldiers.

"I don't need help! Nor am I _your_ soldier. I can handle things by myself. I'm not—" A quick, careful movement, and she found arms encircling her. Her face was buried into the coarse, dark cloth. A chin was resting on her head.

"I apologize, Ilyana…I suppose I did sound rather selfish…" She didn't struggle. She didn't squirm. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it—if only a little. A warm, tickly feeling surrounded Ilyana. She felt very comfortable with Soren…

Aiee…

Wait…Something's not right…

Then she figured it out.

She was hugging Soren.

Yeah. _The_ Soren.

She pulled away, though it was just a hug. Just a hug? Ilyana mentally strangled herself for thinking it was "_just_ a hug". It could've grown to—

Just shut up. Ilyana thought. She wanted to lock those thoughts in a drawer and keep them there for eternity on.

She had been unconsciously backing away from Soren, who refused to look up.

Just a hug. Just a hug. Nothing more.

Ilyana had to repeat it over and over again, just to make it seem true.

Just a hug. Just a hug. Nothing more. Just a hug…

Right?

:--:

(1)Goddess of Thunder, Baskene, Goddess of life, Ashera...

Grant me the eye of an eagle.

Grant me the power of a wolf.

Grant me the speed of a panther.

Grant me the wisdom of a snake.

Bolting!

Soren: AND SHE USED BABBLEFISH!

…You don't have to be so mad...

Ilyana: -pissed off at Shadow-

Ehehe…

Ilyana: -points upward- You put me with HIM. And you made it so I was fine with it!

Help…me…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten…

Oh man. Mia was cooking up a storm!

Reyson had finally agreed to stay with the group, as well as accepting Ike's sincere (?) apology. Mia took it upon herself to cook a subtle dinner for the camp.

Ilyana grinned. It smelled so good! She followed her nose to the source.

Whoa.

Whoa.

Whoa.

Chicken (How'd they get that?), pot roast, beef soup, chicken soup, slabs of pork slathered in "Mia's sauce" and so much more. It covered the portable tables, sending up delicious aromas. _Heheh…_ Ilyana rubbed her hands together in anticipation of the feast.

Better yet, she didn't have to take care of Soren anymore. He was finally able to stand, walk around, and hold things without shaking uncontrollably. She didn't think his magical stability was trustworthy however. In other words, he was in no condition to fight.

If you looked at him from a stranger's point of view—only for a second—you would see a regular, quiet teenager.

However, if you looked at him a bit longer, like fifteen minutes (stalker), he would suddenly break down and hold his head in pain.

Ilyana saw this too often.

When that happened, he would bend down on his knees, clutch his head and shake uncontrollably, repeating over and over "I'm fine" through gritted teeth. Right. He was always saying he was perfectly fine. He still would even if two dozen horses stampeded him.

:--::--::--::--::--:

Ilyana stood up and scanned the crowd for Soren. It had become a habit to search for him every meal time ever since he mended up. There he was, in the corner, acting like he wasn't wanted.

_Ding ding ding!_ Mia rang the dinner bell. It reverberated throughout the camp.

Ilyana's stomach growled in anticipation of the upcoming feast.

"_TIME TO EAT!_" Mia called, even though no one needed the urging. The ground shook with everyone running. Ilyana heard Soren mutter "Idiots" and walked towards the temporary food bar.

"Hi, Soren. How are you feeling?" Mia asked him.

"Fine, I suppose. Well enough."

"That's good. Here's your plate." She forced a smile and handed him a wooden plate.

"…Thanks…"

:--::--::--::--::--:

Ilyana sat down on a tree stump and lifted a spoonful of food to her mouth. Soren walked up to her and plopped onto the ground next to the stump.

"Hey Soren!"

"Don't start that 'say ahh' thing with me again."

"I won't." They ate in silence watching the others eat and talk. It seemed so happy—over there. Where they were was silent and peaceful.

"At least it's quiet over here. It's terribly loud over there." Ilyana rolled her eyes.

"Aw rewwy?" She spoke as well as she could around the pork. Soren looked at her.

"Ah…pardon?" Taking her time, she chewed and finally swallowed.

"Naw, really?"

"That was a totally unnecessary comment."

"So was that." Soren paused.

"…I suppose." They continued useless conversation similar to this for a while before deciding they had enough. (Or at least according to Mia who told Ilyana to stay away from the food.)

:--::--::--::--::--:

"Ilyana?" Soren and Ilyana were staring at the stars with Ilyana sprawled out on the grass. Soren was sitting against a tree with a notebook and pencil. She couldn't see what he was doing, but she didn't ask.

"Yeah?"

"Do you…have you…uh…" She sat up and looked at him.

"Have I what?"

"Do you like…sketches, maybe?" She blinked.

"Yeah. I don't see anything wrong with that. Why?"

"Nothing. Just wondering." Ilyana quirked an eyebrow. It wasn't like him to say, 'just wondering'—he acted like he knew everything.

"Alright. Can I see what you're doing, then?" Soren moved away and shook his head.

"No, it's a…surprise." Ilyana giggled—he was acting like a little child.

"Oh, come on! I won't laugh." She sat up and inched over towards Soren. He moved away.

"No, I don't really want to…ah…" He stood up and reached into his small pack that carried his necessities. "If I give you this…" Ilyana rolled her eyes.

"I won't be bribed by food. Please? Please?"

"Nope. See you around!" He ran back towards the camping grounds. Ilyana stood up and brushed herself off.

"I never knew he was such a kid. I guess I better get back, too…"

:--::--::--::--::--:

Ilyana stretched her arms and yawned mightily.

"What a day. Now, let's see…" She stuck her hand under the bed and waved it around. "Where's that bag? Oh, there it is…" She dragged out a small pack with—what a surprise!—food. Ilyana pulled out a piece of beef jerky and started to munch on it. After a few bites, she discovered she didn't have an appetite.

Oh. My. Goddess.

Ilyana sighed. How queer. Usually she was fine with eating food—however much there was. She slipped it back into the pack and shoved it back under the bed. Standing up, she saw something was on her pillow. A piece of folded paper.

**_To: Ilyana_**

The "from" part was scratched out. However, she could barely make out the letters.

**_From: S…or…e…n_**

****Soren.

:--:

Oh geez. DON'T KILL ME. I have projects galore. Seriously.

Soren: RIGHT.

Ilyana: SURE.

Yes! It's true! 3

Soren: -glare-


	11. Chapter 11

GRAWR! Suffering from severe lack of time to write. I hate Science Fair. (That's me, I'm not saying it sucks or anything, it's just so time consuming…I'm lazy like that.)

Soren: So get your butt up and type really fast.

Don't feel like it.

Ilyana: Too bad.

XP. You guys are gonna end up married one of these days.

Both: …!

Ilyana: -reads script- …-twitch-

Soren: -peeks- …-twitch-

Hee…

:--:

Chapter Eleven…

Ilyana was deathly curious, but…She was hungry.

Food. Where was that bag?

She groped under the bed again and pulled out the bag. She sighed. It needed to be stitched all over again. The pieces were falling apart. _Then again…I've had this bag since I was six…_ She had made it herself, worse for wear, but made with loving hands. Not to mention proud hands.

"Hey, Ilyana!" She turned and saw little Tormod standing outside of her tent flap. She forced a smile. He was a bit much sometimes. No…most of the time.

"Hi, Tormod." He bent down next to her.

"Looking for some food? Seriously, you have no self-control. I mean, look at me!" He glanced at her and caught her annoyed look. "…And you!"

"Get out. I need to get ready for bed anyway."

"But…but…you're looking for food!"

"It's your business how?" Normally, she wasn't so touchy about her 'eating disorder'…as in being hungry all the time…but today, she didn't have any patience.

"Uh…I'm worried about your health. Yeah, that's it! I'm worried that you might die from too much food!" Ilyana closed her eyes and breathed. In…out…in…out…

"Hey! Ilyana! Is anything wrong?" She heard Tormod shriek. Goddess. He screams like a harpy. Her patience snapped, and she shouted in a very un-Ilyana-like way,

"Shut up! Get out of my tent!" Tormod, having never seen this side of Ilyana, ran away screaming,

"Ilyana's possessed! Ilyana's possessed!" She couldn't help but want to slam her head on something hard and knock herself out. First things first, however. That day, Titania decided to help Ilyana's poor defense and fit some armor on her.

"I don't understand how Nephenee or Titania can walk around in this, let alone run." She muttered. Quickly, she began to slip off the stifling metal off of her. Soon she started to disrobe when she felt a draft. She turned around, in the middle of taking her blouse off.

"Ilyana? What's this I hear about—Agh!" Soren had poked his head in and his eyes widened considerably.

"Soren, you pervert! What are you doing peeking in my tent while I'm changing?" Swiftly, she strode over to Soren and hit his head. He cringed in pain.

"Gah! I didn't know you were! Goddess!" He quickly slipped away before she could hit him again.

:--::--::--::--::--:

She couldn't help it. Now, she was extremely pissed and hungry. One big, fat, red haired fly had flown in, irritated her to no end, and right when she was able to swat it away, a perverted commander had peeked in when she was about to relax. She turned on her side. On her pack there was the sheet of paper. She contemplated what might be in it. Ah…well…She snatched it up quickly.

Carefully, she unfolded the paper as if it were the last copy of a 1000 year-old document. She stared at the lines and curves in front of her.

There she was. On that paper. On that night, where Soren had shooed her away from whatever he was drawing/writing. And this is what it was. She was lying down, hair sprawled around her. She couldn't help but blush.

"…Do…do you like it?" Immediately, she shoved the paper behind her back and looked towards the entrance. Soren was standing there, even after what had just happened. All anger towards him evaporated.

"Yeah. It's really good. I…didn't know you drew." He shrugged.

"Just… A bit of a hobby, I guess." He strode over to where she was sitting on her cot.

"Soren?"

"Yeah?"

"Why…" He looked away, evidently embarrassed.

"You were the only one that was good enough to draw." He took her hand gently and squeezed it. "G'night, Ilyana." As soon as he dropped her hand, all Ilyana felt was cold and empty.

:--:

Whoo! I am SO SORRY! I'm serious! I have—

Soren: No excuses! You put—

Hush.

Ilyana: Well look at—

Quiet! Look, I'll update as fast as I can…


	12. Chapter 12

Crisis. My Gamecube is broken. So if any information is wrong, please tell me.

Soren: I told you that you should have finished the game before it broke.

Ilyana: -sigh- now the story is done for…

Pessimists. Both of you. I still have the Internet.

Soren: Then why didn't you say so?

Ignore the petty complaints and move on. Please.

:--:

Chapter Twelve…

Ilyana sat up in her bed and stretched. The sun's rays reached through the fabric of the tent. She could hear birds caroling outside. It was so different than it was a few days ago. Now you could see flowers, bugs, birds, even deer! She loved to go out and watch the deer. They were so graceful…

Slowly she stood up and pulled her clothes on. Judging from where the sun was hitting her tent, it was about seven o'clock.

Commander Ike said that they would leave half after seven. And she hadn't even started to pack yet.

She hadn't even eaten yet, for goddess' sake! Quickly, she rummaged around her sack and pulled a piece of jerky out. She ripped a hunk off and shoved it in her mouth. Then she set about packing.

While slipping her tomes into their according pockets, she brushed her hair.

"I really should get an alarm bird…" Soon the tomes were all set. All that was left was the bed…

Ilyana sighed. She hated packing the cot. It was hard. Even the tent was easier to take down.

She folded the blankets and rolled them up. She shoved them in a bag and put it next to the entrance of the tent.

Before she reached for the leg of the cot, she thought for a second. She really didn't need the frame. She could sleep on the floor like any other person. The blankets were enough.

"I'll donate these pieces to the firewood pile…" Soon the cot was disassembled. She grabbed an all of the pieces and brought them to the peddler's tent, along with her blankets.

"Johann! Are you in there?" A strong, young man stumbled to the entrance of his tent.

"Oh hey, Ilyana. What do you need now?"

"Here. Use this for firewood." She dumped the wood in the entrance.

"Oh ho! So you finally took my advice, eh, Ilyana? Thank you!" He laughed. "The group really needs this."

"No problem. Do you know where Mia is?"

"She just dropped by with her supplies. She may be unpacking her tent."

"Thanks!" Ilyana walked away, towards Mia's tent.

:--::--::--::--::--:

"Mia? Need some help?"

"Huh? No, I'm fine." Mia's voice was smothered by all of the cloth covering her.

"…Are you sure?"

"Yep! I'm fine!"

"Watch out! The pole…!" A pole was standing at a precarious angel, right above Mia's head.

"What? That—Ow!" Ilyana rushed forward and pulled the offending pole out of the ground.

"Right. You don't need help." Ilyana said sarcastically.

"Exactly." Mia's cheery voice sounded from within the depths of cloth.

"Here…" Ilyana found the entrance of the tent. She pulled it up. There was Mia in the middle of the mess.

"Hiya!" Mia laughed in her usual upbeat way.

"Why are dismantling the tent from the inside?"

"Uh…I don't know!" She laughed again. Ilyana couldn't help it, she had to smile.

"You are so strange. Here, this is how you're supposed to do it…"

:--::--::--::--::--:

Soon the tents were packed up and the group was on their way to find the fat man and crush him for what he had done. Soren was walking by himself, next to the peddler's wagon. He turned to his right and saw the monstrous Gatrie walking next to him.

They weren't exactly on good terms, since…_that_…

When Gatrie had first met Soren, he had fallen on knees and pulled out a bouquet of roses.

Yeah, a bouquet of _red_ roses.

Seeing Soren's face…He was evidently scarred for life after that.

"…I'm a guy, Sir Gatrie." He had snapped after recovering. "How good is that lance arm of yours?" Gatrie had paled and didn't look at a girl for a week after that.

So what did he want now?

"Hey, Soren!"

"If you even think about pulling out a rose, you will suffer." Gatrie blanched.

"No…no! It's nothing like that, really! I was just wondering…"

"What."

"Uh…Do you like Ilyana?" Soren paused for a second, his expression hard to read. Finally he turned towards Gatrie and looked him full in the face.

"Why?" Gatrie tried to smile.

"You've been hanging out with her lately, kid."

"And you would know how?"

"…Because I would always look around camp at lunch or dinner, and neither one of you are there."

"Why were you looking for me?"

"Uh…I started to notice the absence of our mastermind. I mean, your ominous aura is enough to announce your presence."

"Pardon?"

"I mean…uh…Man, the sun sure is vicious today!" Soren glared at Gatrie, who was now fiddling with the collar of his armor. "Geez, this is so heavy and hot!"

"Do not change the subject, Gatrie."

"Of course not! I was just saying…"

"The temperature cannot be more than 78º F. It should not be much hotter in your armor. We are going at a slow pace right now."

"Well…uh…"

"Are you stalking me or something?" Soren asked, even if it did sound stupid.

"N…no…" He sighed, figuring that he would never get anything out of this scary kid. When you ask him a question, he turns his answer into a question and corners you. "Look, I'll leave now. Happy?" Soren did not answer.

Gatrie fell back a bit to where most of the girls were. They shifted a little, each talking softer than the other until Gatrie could only see their mouths moving little by little.

"Hi girls!" They looked up as if they had just noticed him.

"Hey, Gatrie." They answered uniformly. Gatrie looked around.

"Where's Ilyana? And Mia?" All of the girls looked around. They found neither one and soon started to panic. A murmur of uncertainty rippled through the group.

"Didn't they say where they were going?"

"I saw them a few minutes ago."

"No, they didn't say."

"Where would they most likely be?"

"I don't know. Maybe they were thirsty?"

"Mia and Ilyana are smart enough not to stray away from us."

"Are you sure?"

"That is extremely rude, Mist."

"Sorry."

"Well," Gatrie sighed, "this needs to be reported to Commander Ike. Thanks, girls." They all let out an inaudible sigh of relief.

"See ya, Gatrie." They chimed together.

:--::--::--::--::--:

"Stupid kids, stupid girls, stupid people!" A low, deep grumbling laugh erupted from the dark man. "Very good, Sweet Gorgon."

**Hiss…**

"Oh, yes. Of course I know. But that is exactly what I want!" His attitude changed. "Do not question your master! I could destroy you right now!"

**Hiss…**

Again, the change. "Yes…that's very true. You are the most skilled of them all." He smiled. "I plan to use them as lures, you do know."

**Hiss…**

"Just a few more people, alright? Be patient. I'll return him to you soon enough…"

**Hiss…**

"Don't be so greedy! I did say I would change you, too."

**Hiss…**

"You do that. This conversation's over." The monster quickly slithered away from the dark man.

He walked towards a cage covered with cloth. The man lifted the cloth and looked at the contents. A lavender haired frail mage was pressed against the corner of the cage. Next to her was a slim purple haired girl—perhaps a swordfighter. She was pressed against the mage in a protective fashion.

"Eh hehe! I do like pretty girls…" He smiled in a twisted way. Ilyana curled her lip and Mia spat in his eye. He jumped away from the cage and scrubbed his eyes.

"Stay away from us!" Mia snapped.

"Revolting! Absolutely revolting! I cannot believe you, you…" Mia ground her teeth as he called her every name in the book. Ilyana looked away, patting her side on instinct. The man instantly stopped his tirade.

"Ah haha! I took away your pretty books, girl!" He waved an Elthunder in front of her face—as close as he could get, anyway. Ilyana pouted. He was honestly stupid, but he seemed pretty powerful…

"Nighty-night, girls!" Mia looked after the strange man as he exited the room.

"Can you classify him, Ilyana?" A low moan emitted from Ilyana's throat. Mia turned, alarmed.

"Ohh…my stomach…" Mia sighed.

"Can you, Ilyana?" The mage sat up slowly and nodded.

"He's pretty stupid, but he's a mage."

"A stupid mage? I mean, Tormod is stupid in his own way, but that man was like…Retarded."

"Yeah. It's like a brawn over brain thing for him."

"And he's a mage?"

"Yeah. Any food on you, Mia?" Ilyana's eye made their way down to Mia's boots.

"No…not the boots. Bad Ilyana. No, the boots are not for you to—agh! Ilyana! Not again! Help! Agh! Cannibal!" Ilyana managed to pry one boot off. Mia snatched it back. Ilyana grabbed it. They pulled for about two minutes when…

"Don't you think it'd be more productive to find a way out of here?"

:--:

Yes, I made up Johann. I can't call him 'Mr. Peddler', now can I?

"Mr. Peddler! Are you in there?"

Seriously…That's only for Tormod to say.

And YES! I know that Gorgons are for FE: The Sacred Stones, but…muahaha. –twitch-

Soren: Leave some reviews. You can help. She writes like—

Ilyana: Shut up, you idiot. You let me get captured.

Soren: It was in the script! –shakes a piece of paper in her face-

Sweet Mother of Chocolate. Calm down. Kindly leave some reviews.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen…

The morning routine was different than usual. Ike had collected several people to make a search party. As a result, Gatrie, Soren and Shinon were packing.

"Oh, joy. We're the chosen ones." Shinon rolled his eyes, evidently overjoyed at the prospect.

"Well, Ilyana's the only serious thunder mage here. I'm not too great at it." Soren grumbled.

"Behold! The Great Soren has admitted a fault of his!" Shinon threw his hands up into the air and resumed packing a few seconds later.

"That's 'cause he li-i-ikes her." Gatrie nudged Shinon in the ribs and winked.

"Whoo hoo hoo! Soren's got a girlfriend, and you're gonna act all good-guy to save her? Good luck, small fry!" Shinon sneered. Soren's expression darkened.

"I don't have the time for trifling stuff like that. I was assigned to this group." Soren grumbled.

"Geez…rotten kid…" Shinon rolled his eyes.

"Um…Shinon, you may not want to say that…" Gatrie grinned feebly.

"You look like an old man when you do that!" Shinon snapped.

"Uh…okay…"

"Are you done yet?" Soren snapped. "You are wasting valuable traveling time right now." Shinon slapped his sack.

"Yes, I'm done. It's Gatrie we're waiting on."

"Well, I'm finished." Gatrie announced.

"Do you have to announce it to everyone?" Shinon snapped.

"Well…"

"Hurry up, you two. The sun's almost up." Soren said.

"Lead the way, All Knowing Soren." Shinon sneered.

"You can lead if you want." Soren offered, irritated.

"I think I will." Shinon took a large step in a random direction, his red hair swinging behind him.

"It's this way." Soren informed him, pointing in the opposite direction. Shinon curled his lip, but followed anyway.

"Wait a minute," Shinon said after a few minutes of silence, "how do you know they're this way?" Soren paused for a second.

"Call it intuition, if you will." Shinon's eyes narrowed.

"Perhaps you participated in the kidnapping…" Shinon began.

"…to become the hero!" Gatrie finished. Soren spun around, clearly angry.

"Now why, for goddess' sake, do you think I would do that?"

"No reason!" Gatrie yelped. Geez, that kid was creepy! Soren continued his logic.

"If, for some reason, _if_ I _did_ like Ilyana, I wouldn't go so far to hurt her to become the 'hero'. I'm not sure about you two, however…" He said slyly.

"What? What do you think you are saying? First, I don't like anyone! Second, I'm not that cruel!" Shinon snapped. Soren sped up.

"Well, let us drop this subject for now. We must hurry. I think Rolf said he had seen some strange marks in the grass around here…there, now, see?" There was a giant rivet in the grass as if a giant snake had made it. Shinon crouched and inspected the strange mark.

"What the heck? Some giant reptile took 'em?" Gatrie asked.

"Well, there are smaller prints on either side of this huge one. Look." He pointed out two small ovals on each side. The ovals appeared irregularly.

"I think it is safe to assume this big snake thing is the kidnapper, and these…ovals…are Ilyana and Mia's footprints." Soren calculated.

"But why are their footprints spaced like that?" Gatrie asked.

"They were probably being carried you idiot!" Shinon snapped.

"Hurry up," Soren ordered. "It's getting late."

:--::--::--::--::--:

"Mia. I'm dying…I know I am." Ilyana moaned. Mia sighed, completely ignoring her friend's pleas.

"Hmm…he's secured these bars pretty good, like any good villain…" Ilyana grabbed Mia and shook her violently.

"**I'm starving for goddess' sake!**" Mia groaned.

"Fine! Geez! Here's a piece of my boot!" She grabbed the knife hidden in her skirt and paused.

Whoa! A hidden knife!

"Hold that thought, Ilyana! You better cover for me if that creep comes!"

:--:

I'm so sorry for the wait and the short chapter. TTTT

I was sick for a while.

Soren: Who cares? Just grab a healer with a Cure and you'll be fine!

Ilyana: I don't think their world is like that.

Soren: Feh. Their world is worth pigs' dung.

Hey!


	14. Chapter 14

-_gasp_- HOLY MOTHER OF CHOCOLATE! HOW LONG WILL THIS LAST?

Ilyana: What?

This accursed sickness of mine.

Soren: Stay away, o plague of the earth!

**Warning** This chapter may be a little weirder as I am a bit tipsy from the medicine I'm taking. Onward!

:--:

Chapter Fourteen…

The strange trio continued following the strange mark. Soren was thinking about a book he had read about mythological monsters. He had been researching dragons…but he had become a bit sidetracked and looked at the book page by page. There had been some sort of snake thing…

"A Gorgon!" Soren exclaimed.

"Holy crap! Grab a medic, Gatrie!" Shinon ordered.

"This mark was made by a Gorgon!" Soren inferred. Shinon wheeled Soren around so that they were eye-to-eye—except that Shinon had to crouch a bit.

"You goin' crazy, kid?" Soren shook himself out of his grip. He put a finger to his lips and crouched. Shinon and Gatrie crouched as well, staying silent but sending each other looks.

"You can't hide from me, kid." Soren clenched his fists. Shinon's mouth dropped open and Gatrie fell over in a dead faint. There was Reyson, glowing with all his glory.

"You! I thought…I thought that was over! Gone!" Soren shouted.

"It is…not. You can't hide the fact that you are half—"

"Stop! Stop it! I don't want to hear it!" Soren cried. Reyson narrowed his eyes—a sign of growing hostility.

"Pah. Go back to your fake life. But you know what you really are." Soren had closed his eyes and covered his ears, leaning heavily against a tree trunk. "And after this war is over…we'll find who made you—another abomination of the world." Soren opened his eyes tentatively. Ruby met golden.

"You…You're acting all strong but…the mutts are stronger than purebreds! It's true in science…it's true in life!"

"Look at you. Shaking like a leaf, in front of your superior—like you were always supposed to!" Shinon listened to this exchange, clenching his teeth and balling his hands into fists. Finally, he leaped up from his leafy seat and shoved his finger onto Reyson's chest, poking him several times.

"You know what? I can't stand types like you. I don't give a crap if you are the king of the beasts, or whatever you say. Just get up off your butt and stop acting so cool. I'll respect you some if you show me some muscle!" Shinon snapped. Reyson curled his lip.

"More human scum. Get out of my sight." He turned back to Soren. "Hey, half-breed," Soren lowered his head, "what's your worthy half?" Soren did not answer.

"He won't answer you, you know." Shinon snapped.

"And why not?" Reyson growled.

"He won't answer except to his name." Shinon laughed. "I just noticed how useless it is, but useful too."

"Stop joking around. Hey…kid, what's your other half?"

"If you want to seek out my animal half, my father has already killed himself for birthing an abomination like me." Soren ground out.

"Your mother?" Reyson asked flawlessly.

"She's dead." Soren lied just as easily. Reyson sniffed in annoyance.

"Just as well. You don't remember her?"

"No."

"Fine. Be seeing you around." The laguz formed his golden wings, giving them a graceful and proud shake before lifting and flying off into the distance. Shinon huffed, evidently irritated.

"Hey, didn't you get into a fight with him before?"

"I don't get into brawls." Soren answered Shinon. It was an obvious opening for an insult. Shinon knew that Soren wanted to be insulted, for his mind to be taken off of that bird.

"You're too girly!" Soren smirked.

"Wake up Gatrie. I found the trail again."

:--::--::--::--::--:

_Scrape…scrape…_ Ilyana bit her lip so hard it bled. The sound was driving her mad. _Scrape…scrape…_

"Hey!" Mia cried, being rudely pressed aside. Ilyana inspected the two bars that Mia had filed almost all the way through. She pressed herself against the imaginary hole and shook her head.

"We need at least one more bar gone to fit through this thing." Mia nodded and turned back to her work, only to be pushed aside rudely again. She heard a great _boom_—the great oak door to the room their cage was in had closed. Ilyana snatched the knife away and slipped it in her skirt. Mia and Ilyana leaned against each other to cover the filed bars.

"Well? Are you two ready to succumb to my greatness?" The dark man leaned down to their height, his face twisting into a strange smile. Ilyana looked away defiantly. Mia, again, spat in his face. "What was that for?"

"Go away!" They cried in unison. The man ground his teeth in annoyance.

"Be that way!" Ilyana watched as their captor stormed away. The great door let out a large _boom_ as it slammed shut. She sighed.

"All brawn and no brain." Ilyana murmured as she handed Mia the knife.

"I thought that mages were supposed to be smart—" Mia started as she began to scrape away at the bars.

"Do _not_ stereotype me with him!" Ilyana snapped. "He's special." Mia raised her eyebrows.

"I knew a man that was classified as 'retarded' but he was extremely smart. He was a great architect. I don't think it's really fair to call people 'retards' or 'retarded'."

"True." Ilyana sighed. After a while of hearing only the scrape of the knife, Ilyana spoke again.

"Hey, what happened to that architect?" Mia stayed silent for a while, still scraping at the bars.

"He was killed by the villagers." She finally answered. Ilyana's eyes widened.

"Why?" Mia sighed.

"He was 'too smart to be retarded' so therefore it made him 'a freak'." Ilyana looked at the ground.

"That's…not right. That's not fair to him." Mia shrugged.

"No, it certainly isn't. He was a nice guy and understood most of what you said. However, he was 'a freak' so they had to 'eliminate him'."

"I guess…this world isn't fair at all."

"No," Mia shook her head, "it isn't." Ilyana moved to Mia's other side and started to wriggle the mostly filed bars. The cage was causing way too much out-of-characterness.

:--::--::--::--::--:

Soren and Shinon were still telling each other off as they followed the tracks. Finally, poor Gatrie had had enough.

"Soren," he said desperately, "why did you say these were Gorgon tracks?" Soren blinked.

"Why not?"

"What do you mean 'why not'? Gorgons are old legends. They're used to scare little kids." Gatrie explained.

"Gorgons can be called into this world, didn't you know that?" Gatrie's eyes widened.

"What? That's impossible…"

"Just as impossible as humans-shaped things that can fly." Soren hissed, referring to the 'royal' laguz family. Shinon sighed.

"Uh…how? How can they be called into this world? They're legends and fakes!" Gatrie continued, trying to avoid the taboo subject.

"Well, you summon them. You know, one man had to be especially convincing and imaginative to create the creature 'Gorgon'. That one man had to see the creature, along with other people. All legends sprout from something true."

"Hnn…I still don't get what you mean!" Gatrie stated. Soren sighed.

"In short, would you ever think of spreading rumors of a woman that has the body of a snake and can turn you into stone once they look at you? Not only that, but that woman has purple snakes in place of hair."

"I see what you mean…" Gatrie nodded. "But hasn't it happened before, where people go around telling their friends that there are such creatures?"

"No!" Gatrie recoiled from the vicious answer. "Dreams are another way that Gorgons are brought to existence. Mankind gets curious and starts to experiment."

"Experiment on what?" Shinon cut in.

"Mankind starts to test different ways on how to bring in those strange creatures. Perhaps they hold a cure to an incurable disease; perhaps they hold power…Usually that idealistic plan backfires and brings more disease and plague. Or, the power that creature holds is abused and used in such a way that it causes massive loss rather than gain." Shinon tapped Soren's arm and pointed a long finger right in front of them. There, in front of them rose a grand, yet decrepit fortress. Birds nested in the mossy hollows of the stone wall. Soren stared at it for a while. Shinon elbowed him in the ribs.

"Hey. The tracks end here." He said, looking at their feet. The rest of the way up to the castle was all paved road.

"Well…this is where they are. Prepare yourselves, you hear?" Soren murmured.

"Sir!" Shinon and Gatrie answered.

:--:

"Paved" means stone slabs set down in the ground, with some sticky filling etc. Hey! I think I'm getting over this sickness, whatever it was.

Soren: Thank goodness. If this story was left unfinished, Ilyana would have to write it and that would result in some pretty horrible stuff.

Ilyana: Shut up, you.

Don't stress the ill…!


End file.
